Vibration damper for folding machines



1935. F. LAMATSCH ,026,236

VIBRATION DAMPER FOR FOLDING MACHINES Filed May 28, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E94 INVENTOR 31, 1935- F. LAMATSCH VIBRATION DAMPER FOR FOLDING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR Maw NQ mm 9% IW W Y* W\ W\ 1:13 37 3 Pa Patented Dec. 31, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VIBRATION DAMPER FOR FOLDING MACHINES poration of New York Application May 28, 1932, Serial No. 614,232

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in vibration dampers for folding machines or for any similar structures which are subjected to undesired rapid oscillations due to unbalanced forces or other causes.

The constructions included in this invention are applicable to any structure which is subject to vibrations, and particularly those occurring in lateral, longitudinal, approximately horizontal or other directions, but, for the sake of simplicity, of illustration and descriptions herein, will necessarily be confined to their use in connection with a folding machine adapted to plicate or fold a running web as it is forwarded from a printing machine.

It has been found that prior machines of this character are subjected to vibrations, especially in approximately horizontal directions, due to unbalanced forces, and such vibrations occasion undue wear, fatigue and breakage of machine parts, cause unnecessary and continual flexing of the running Web both at and. between its supports and guides, which disturbs its desired uniform and equable motion and, in consequence, frequently tear or break it, which results in delay, loss and damage.

In addition to this such vibrations cause a succession of vibratory movements and noises which are annoying to the attendants and decrease their poise and efliciency, and tend to increase accidents, besides which these are transmitted to the buildingand neighborhood, causing discomfort to the occupants and to others in the vicinity.

The vibrations of a printing machine and of other machines mounted on the same or nearby supports will also disturb and disarrange the adjustments of such machines, and will cause slurring of the printing impressions, particularly in the case of half tone plates, and will also disarrange the proper registry of successive impressions of various colors.

Such vibrations are also damaging to buildings and other structures, and particularly to the more friable portions thereof. Vibrations of this character can be counteracted to a certain extent by firmly securing the machine to a massive foundation of stone, brick, concrete, timber or other bulky material of great weight, preferably imbedded in the earth and isolated from adjoining structures, but such construction is only applicable to certain machines on the ground or basement floors where space is plenty and cheap. v t

On the other hand, and particularly in urban communities, where vibration troubles are most annoying, the machines are necessarily carried umns, walls and to other machines, with the destructive and annoying results previously mentioned herein. a

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide means for damping the vibrations and. thereby obviating the difiiculties mentioned.

It is also an object of theinvention to provide a vibration damper of generally improved construction, which is simple, durable and inexpensive as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and efficient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is an elevation of the principal features of a folding machine to which this invention is applied;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of an anti-friction roller and adjacent parts, taken. on the line 22 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is an elevation of a portion of the machine base frame and its support with an interposed anti-friction roller and adjacent parts as viewed in the direction of the arrow 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional elevation on the line 44 of Figures 1 and 5;

Figure 5 is an elevation of those parts shown in Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrow 5;

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation on the line 66 of Figures 1 and '7 looking in the direction of the arrows 6-6; and

Figure 7 is an elevation on an enlarged scale of part of the construction shown near the right hand ends of Figures 1 and 5.

Referring now to the characters of reference on the drawings:-

The base or support for the folding machine is, in this case, composed of two horizontal beams indicated as i l and I2 which are carried by the columns 83 and I l. These columns are necessarily of story height, that is: from nine to twelve feet or more in length, and as the space between and around them is needed for other machines and for the supply of materials thereto it must be open, thus eliminating through bracing, which results in a base structure that is easily deflected and hence subject to undue oscillations from vibratory impulses imparted to it.

One of the frames of the folding machine, indicated herein as typical for the application of this invention, is indicated as l5 and its companion frame is l6 and these have base portions i! and i8 mounted on the base supports H and 52. These base portions of the frames do not rest directly on the base supports H and I2 but interposed between them is a plurality of antivibration units 3? embodying features of this invention.

One of the side frames is indicated as 19, while 29 is a part of a frame supported thereby, which carries the formers 2i and 22 with nipping rollers and other appurtenances which co-operate with the companion portions of the apparatus shown below them in Figure 1, and deliver the printed webs thereto.

Mounted on the frames l5and i6 is a cutting cylinder 23 and its companion folding cylinder 24 which are adapted to receive between them the running webs from the former 2|. The folding cylinder 24 is provided witha folding blade 25 which tucks the multiple webs between the folding rollers 26 and 21.

It has been found that, by reason of the eccentric position of the folding blade and its rapid revolution, this causes severe vibrations in the machines, attachments, supports and adjacent machines and structures, and this is accentuated by the sudden reversal of motion of the forward part of the web as it is rapidly tucked between the folding rollers.

As illustrated in Figure 1 another set of folding mechanism is used comprising the former 22, the nipping rollers below it, the cutting cylinder 28 with its co-operating folding cylinder 29, the folding blade 3B, and the folding rollers 31 and 32.

The folding rollers forward the folded webs to the delivery fans 33 and 34 which advance them to the delivery belt 35 which traverses the conveyer arm 36.

Certain of the vibration damper assemblies are indicated generally as 37 while the end damper units are indicated as 38. Flanges 39 are provided and preferably formed integral with the base supports H and I2 and have slide plates M] which abut the base portions of the frames I! and i8 to retain them in position laterally, while allowing them to oscillate longitudinally, and these plates are held in position by the bolts 4!. As illustrated in detail in Figure 3, the damper unit 3'5 is composed of a top wear plate 42, a bottom one 43, each held in place by tap screws as shown.

48 with steel plates 49 and 50 on each side thereof each forming what is called a rubber sandwich. The resilient damper member may be of rubber, as stated, or it may be of cork wood, either solid or granular and compacted like linoleum, balsa or other wood, cocoa fibre, cellulose, wood, rubber packing or belting composed of alternate layers of rubber and cotton duck, steel or metal springs, or any other material that is compressible, expansible and energy absorbing. A preferred manner of mounting the vibration dampers is to insert them in opposing slots or recesses formed in the machine frame and its support as illustrated.

The base portions I! and I8 of the machine frames are mounted on the anti-friction rollers 44 which are carried by the base supports H and l 2 and are held in axial position by the washers 45 and tap bolts 5-6, and the proportions of the parts are such as to provide clearance spaces ll between the base portions IT and [8 of the machine frames and the base supports H and I2 respectively.

This permits the machine to oscillate longitudinally, due to vibratory impulses and the dampers 3? and 38 cause such movements to gradually decelerate and their energy to be absorbed by the plastic and resilient deformation of the rubber inserts or other materials forming the elastic portions of the so-called sandwiches. This therefore minimizes the vibrations and obviates the diificulties previously mentioned herein.

The machine frames [1 and I8 are held on their base supports H and 12 by the hold down bolts 5| which pass through larger holes in the bases of the machine frames, but are screw threaded in the base supports, thereby providing clearances to permit the vibrational oscillations of the machine.

As shown in Figure 1, the web W is passing to the cutting cylinder 23 and its co-operating folding cylinder 24 and the web W is passing to the cutting cylinder 28 and its co-operating folding cylinder 29.

Referring now to the end damper assemblies generally indicated as 33:-each of these comprises a rubber damper 52 with a steel plate 53 on one side and another steel plate 54 on its other side. An abutment 55 is held firmly to the base support by the hold down bolts 55 and and is provided with abolt 51 screw threaded therein which has a jam nut 58 thereon, all of which is adapted to provide an initial pressure against the end damper members 52, 53 and 56, and thence to the end of the machine frame. A dowel pin 59 is provided as shown in Figure 7 to retain in position the end vibration damper.

This therefore provides means for adjusting the initial pressures in order that the dampers may best act to minimize the vibrations. Such adjustment especially if made while the machine is running and the oscillations observed, will change the vibration periods and modify their critical frequencies in such a way as to best produce the results desired.

As best shown in Figure 5, it will be noted that by means of the abutment 55 and the adjusting bolt or screw 51, the end dampers 38 and an entire series of vibration dampers 31 may be variably adjusted by the placing of same under greater or less initial compression, thereby changing their vibration frequencies.

The resilient portions of the vibration dampers 3! and 38 are preferably cemented to their ously adjusting the initial compression of said struction of the vibration dampers is such that they are double acting, that is: they operate in both directions longitudinally of the machine and in the case illustrated, substantially horizontally in the directions of the major vibratory movements in order to best minimize them.

When the machine is operating, the adjusting bolts 51 may be tightened or loosened to modify the vibration periods, in orderto assist in lessening the oscillations and prevent their transmission to the supports, columns, structures or other machines, and this is helpful for the reason that the machine may be run at various speeds and may operate on webs of lesser or greater thicknesses and mass, requiring damping means of differing compressive and reactive periods in order to best counteract the vibrations.

It should also be noted that, in accordance with this invention, the machine is mounted on anti-friction rollers which allow it to oscillate within limits in order to prevent the direct transmission of its vibrations to the supports, and other structures. The anti-friction devices permit the vibratory movements of the machine without transmitting the vibrations to the supports or other structures, while the vibration dampers gradually decelerate such movements and prevent or minimize the transfer of the oscillations.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A machine subject to vibratory movements, a support therefor, anti-friction devices interposed between said machine and support, and vibration dampers directly contacting said antifriction devices and adapted to contact with said machine and support to minimize said vibratory vmovements, and a single manually operable means for varying the initial compression of said vibration dampers.

2. A machine subject to vibratory movements, the major ones of which are in substantially horizontal directions, a support for said machine, anti-friction devices between said machine and its support, a plurality of vibration dampers each including a resilient element and adapted to contact with said machine and support, and to gradually decelerate, in both directions, said vibratory movements, one of said vibration dampers being arranged on either side of one of said anti-friction devices, and means for varying the initial compression of said vibration dampers.

3. A machine subject to horizontal vibratory movements, a support therefor, anti-friction devices therebetween adapted to facilitate limited movements of the machine, a plurality of resilient vibration dampers, each anti-friction device being adapted to contact with said machine and its support and having one of said vibration dampers arranged on either side thereof, and a single manually operablemeans for simultanedampers.

4. The combination with a deflectable support, of a machine subjected to vibrations carried thereby, anti-friction devices between said machine and its supports, adapted to facilitate limited relative movement thereof, a plurality of vibration dampers arranged adjacent each of said anti-friction devices each vibration damper including resilient material, adapted to contact with said machin and its supports and to operate in both directions, whereby the vibratory movements are gradually decelerated, and means including an abutment and a manually operable member for simultaneously placing all of said vibration dampers under a variable compressional stress.

5. The combination with a support, of a machine provided with a frame mounted thereon and. subject to horizontal oscillations, a plurality of vibration dampers mounted in opposed recesses in said support and frame, an anti-friction roller arranged between each pair of said vibration dampers, a wear plate positioned on the top and bottom of each pair of vibration dampers and engaged with the periphery of the roller, each vibration damper being composed of a resilient member and a metal plate arranged on each side of said resilient member; and means for adjusting the initial compression of the said vibration dampers.

6. A machine support base borne on deflectable columns, a machine mounted on anti-friction devices carried thereby, a series of vibration dampers in contact with said machine and its support, one of said vibration dampers being arranged on either side of one of said anti-friction devices adapted to minimize the oscillations of said machine, and a single means for simultaneously and variably adjusting all of said vibration dampers.

7. The combination with a machine subject to vibratory movements and having a support, of an anti-friction device adapted tobe interposed between the said machine and support, said anti-friction device including a roller, the said roller being engaged on its upper and lower surfaces by a wear plate, a vibration damper, said vibration damper being in'direct contact with the roller, and manually operable means for adjusting the vibration damper preparatory to use.

8. The combination with a machine frame subject to vibratory movements and having a support, of a plurality of anti-friction devices interposed between the said machine and sup port, a plurality of vibration dampers, one for each anti-friction device, an abutment secured to the support, and a single manually operable thrust screw means coactingly engaged with said abutment and said machine frame for simultaneously adjusting all of said vibration dampers in order to vary the vibration frequencies of same.

9. The combination with a machine subject to vibratory movements and having a support, of a series of anti-friction devices interposed between the said machine and support, vibration dampening means coactingly engaged with each of said anti-friction means, and screw thrust means eiiective for simultaneously adjusting all of the said vibration dampening means to vary the vibration dampening effect of same.

10. The combination with a machine subject to vibratory movements and having a support,

of a series of anti-friction devices interposed between the said machine and support, vibration dampening means coactingly engaged with each of said; anti-friction means, and other means for placing said vibration dampening means under a variable compressional stress at opposite portions thereof.

11. In a machine subject to vibratory movements, a support, a machine frame, a bearing 10 surface on the support and a bearing surface on the machine frame, a roller interposed between the said bearing surfaces and adapted to support the frame, pressure plates engaging opposite sides of the roller in a horizontal plane, resilient material engaging each pressure plate on the side opposite the roller, and means confining the said material and biasing the frame in operating position while allowing a slight motion limited to a horizontal plane to absorb vibration.

FREDERICK LAMATSCH. 

